Hunter's Daughter
by contagiously funny
Summary: The Green Lady and Weiryn have another child, a daughter. While she lives a fantasy life in the Divine Realms, she gets hit hard with reality when she is forced to live in the Mortal Realms. Rating for safety and later chaps.
1. A New Arrival

**_Disclaimer: I don't own any of the original TP characters (duh)_**

"Almost done, just a little more." a soothing voice murmured. Sarra focused on that voice as she went through the most painful ordeal for a second time. A cool hand gripped hers as she tried to think of something other than the pain. "There now, just one more push." said the same voice, and suddenly, it was over. Sarra leaned back and closed her eyes, exhausted. A smile formed as she heard a baby cry.

Sarra, known to most mortals as the Green Lady, but also known as the former Sarra Beneksri, opened her eyes to see her second child. The Great Mother stood over her, smiling patiently. With great care, the Mother handed the little figure wrapped in a blanket to the smiling goddess.

"Congratulations Sarra, it's another healthy girl." The Great Mother said softly as the Green Lady rocked her child gently. The babe stopped crying and stared wide-eyed around the room. At that moment, Queenclaw, who had been present throughout the whole ordeal, left to bring the father in. Sarra slowly shifted her gaze from the little one to the Goddess.

"I thought, being a goddess and the Divine Realms, that child birth would be easier." she whispered, trying not to disturb her little girl. She heard the Great Mother chuckle in reply.

"It's fairly similar to the Mortal Realms. Each birth simply depends on the child and the mother. This was a little more difficult than last time, am I right?" the Mother questioned. When she saw Sarra nod, she continued. "I believe that means this little one will be even more of a handful than Veralidaine." she said with a sigh. "I wish you luck." She was about to say more, when the father, Weiryn, strode in. He went directly to Sarra's side, trying to hide his anxiety.

"Were you like this when Daine was born?" his wife asked with a chuckle. While he was trying to act confident, he couldn't help asking every few seconds if she and the baby were all right. He stood up straighter and replied with indifferently.

"I knew everything would work out."

"Don't listen to him." came an amused voice. Queenclaw had returned. She hopped up on a table next to Sarra's bed. "He was a nervous wreck waiting out there a few minutes ago, pacing and talking to himself. He was even worse the first time."

Weiryn cleared his throat, and quickly changed the subject. "Well, is it a girl or boy?" he asked curiously. In the Divine Realms, it didn't matter whether a baby was male or female, for the parent never dies and there is no need for a boy to carry on the name. In any case though, Weiryn's curiosity was killing him. Sarra handed him the blanket covered child.

"Meet you new daughter." she said softly, so the baby wouldn't start crying again. As Weiryn cautiously picked up the baby, the Great Mother gave a little laugh.

"Not like that. You have to hold her head…there you go. Now you understand." she explained.

The little girl stared at her strange looking father. Her large eyes took in his antlers and strange skin. A wide, toothless grin grew on her little face as she gurgled at him. Two small hands reached up to pull at his antlers and his curly hair. Weiryn couldn't help but smile at his second child, and this time he would be apart of her upbringing.

Sarra frowned, sensing something was off. There was something remarkably different about this new child from Daine, but Sarra couldn't think of what.

Suddenly, she realized what it was.

"Sh--she shouldn't be able to control her arms yet." she exclaimed softly as she watched her newborn daughter yank her father's hair. "Babies don't begin to have control of her arms and legs until months after being born." She looked to the Great Mother, wanting an explanation. The Goddess shook her head, looking a little sad.

"Things are different here Sarra." The Goddess paused for a moment. "It's difficult for us immortals to have children, especially gods. There would be an over abundance of us if there were, and that would lead to chaos. Once a child is born to a god and goddess, it must quickly be given a…responsibility, something to put his or her power to. Without responsibility, they become dangerous. Since there is a need for haste, our children grow at a _much_ faster rate than mortals. There are more rules and such for children, especially if she cannot choose a responsibility, but that will be for later. For now Sarra, try to enjoy what time you have with her. They stay young for a very short time."

"How much time?" the tearful new mother asked, staring at her little girl. The Mother walked over and laid a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"It varies, and I would not tell you if I could. You would then be forever mourning the day she would leave, if you knew. Children are extremely rare in the Divine Realms, Sarra. Rejoice in being a mother, if only for a short time." The Great Mother then turned her attention to the little one.

"You have been born in a world many can't even dream of, and with privileges and powers most would die for. Be grateful and grow up strong, little one, for there will be work for you soon, no matter what rode you choose for yourself."

With that the Mother left, for she was greatly needed in many other places.

Sarra reached for her daughter, and Weiryn gently handed her back. The Green Lady finally took her first good look at her daughter. She had a small bit of brown hair on top of her head and her eyes were a bright blue-green, a mixture of her parent's eyes. Her skin was also a mixture of her parents; a creamy complexion with light reddish-brown streaks. She yawned, and was soon sleeping.

"Have you thought of a name?" asked Weiryn. Sarra thought for a moment, and smiled.

"Almira Kainda…yes, that's it. Almira Kainda Weirynsra." she stated happily.

"What does the first name mean?"

"Of Higher Birth Order."

"And the second name?"

Sarra smiled and sat up to receive a kiss from her husband.

"Kainda? It means Hunter's Daughter."

**Ok, this story will get more interesting, I promise. No, Almira WON'T be one of those _perfect_ main characters I always see popping up in fanficts. She WILL have flaws. Anyway, please read and review!**


	2. Mischevious Times

**Ok, as I promised, Almira will have flaws, I PROMISE! At first it won't seem like it, because she is, technically, a goddess. So it won't seem like there are many flaws, but there will be!**

"Mira!" a deep voice bellowed as a pair of swift feet raced through the woods. The young girl grinned savagely as she raced aimlessly through the trees. She had slipped past her mother yet again in order to avoid another lesson in stitching. _Why? _she wondered irritably, _There's no need for stitching here; we can simply create our own clothes out of thin air!_ But that argument had never worked with The Green Lady, and Weiryn had, unfortunately, supported her. So, for the hundredth time, Almira slipped out to run wild in the woods.

She smiled as her feet raced beneath her over the soft grass and moss that covered the forest floor. There was nothing, absolutely nothing, which could be compared to the peace her father's woods could bring. The trees seemed to stretch on forever, and the wind blew gently across her face as she slowed her pace down. It would be a few moment before her father found her. While he was able to run faster than her, she had gotten a fair head start. She finally came to a stop by a stream. Its water was so pure; she could see an almost perfect reflection of herself. She smiled at herself, pleased with her appearance.

While she, according to her mother, was only three mortal years old; she appeared to be about thirteen. She had her father's dark brown hair, which was thick and _slightly_ wavy; a mixture of her parents' hair textures. Her eyes were a bright, clear blue-green framed by long lashes. She had high cheekbones, a "cute" nose, and stubborn chin. Her skin was a creamy with light reddish brown stripes that seemed to bring out her eyes. She continued to smile at her reflection as she heard Weiryn arrive, shattering the peaceful moment. He stood behind her, waiting for her to say something. She didn't. Instead, she simply continued to breathe in the rich pine smell of the forest, thinking of when her parents would allow her run around out here for hours.

"Mira…"

She desperately missed those days.

"Mira…this has to stop. Your mother is just trying to teach you what she knows. It's something she feels you should learn." The god of hunt explained patiently, trying to get her to understand.

"I don't want to learn to _stitch_. Or knit, or weave, or cook, or…anything! When will I use those skills, father? When? Mother will always be around to cook, and she actually _likes_ it. We can repair or create clothes with a simple command." she said in what sounded suspiciously like a whine. Finally, she looked up to meet her father's eyes with her own blazing pair. Weiryn sighed as he considered his stubborn daughter. She would listen to him eventually, for he was just as stubborn as she.

"You will obey your mother's wishes, _daughter_, or you will be restricted from the woods."

"…for how long?"

"Till I see fit to allow you back."

"I see."

Mira leaned back and stared at the sky for a few minutes, considering her options. Her father knew how to corner her. He knew of her love for the woods; he shared the same love. She sighed, trying to think of another way. She looked up at her father; a new idea forming in her mind.

"What if I alternately spend one day with mother, and then one day in the woods? She gets what she wants and so do I." she asked diplomatically, the whine no longer in her voice. Weiryn stared at her for a moment before slowly nodding.

"Fair enough."

Almira grinned, her earlier irritation forgotten. After getting past the stubbornness, most that knew her admitted that she had a gift for compromising.

The two of them walked home in silence, neither in a hurry. Almira sighed to herself, remembering when Weiryn used to bring her out to teach her of the wild and how to hunt. He had been thrilled to discover she had a talent for hunting. Soon after though, Sarra had insisted that Mira stay at home to learn to cook, clean, stitch, etc. To Mira, it simply meant that she was stuck inside when she could be outside. As they neared home, she saw a silhouette in the kitchen through the window. _We must be having company for dinner_ she thought cheerfully. The other immortals always brought interesting stories to tell her about the mortal realm. Without another word, she raced into the kitchen to see who their visitors was. She saw her mother serving some soup to their other guest. Gainel. Mira blinked in surprise. While Gainel was known to appear every now and then at Sarra's house for dinner, he was usually too busy stop by. It had been weeks since Almira had last seen him. Before she could voice a greeting, her mother came over and pushed her into a seat.

"Dinner's getting cold." Sarra said quietly, trying to set the table for everyone. Without a word, Mira stood up and helped her mother put the dishes on the table serve the food. Her reward was a grateful smile from the Green Lady. "So, you do know how to act like a lady." came the light reproach.

"I was taught by the best." Mira replied quietly. She and her father would tell her their plan after dinner. For now, they had a guest to entertain, although it was Gainel that did most of the entertaining.

After a couple enthralling stories from the mortal realms, Gainel asked Mira about her latest adventures. Without delay she told him of the times she and many of the animal gods would gather to watch the sunbirds. It was an evening tradition now. She even told of the time she had, against her mother's orders, approached a horse of the Divine Realms. After much pleading, one of the younger ones agreed to give her a quick ride, but only after they established that a "quick" ride meant only a few minutes. While throughout the young goddess's life, she had been visited by almost all of the human gods, it was the animal gods that she felt the most comfortable with. At times, she even spent time with other immortals. She had learned early how to beg a Stormwing for a ride through the air. And even though it had taken a lot of patience, Mira had eventually been able to talk to a sunbird. She was surprised at how humble they acted, considering their renown beauty. Her next plan was to see a dragon. However, considering her mother's strict rules, it would have to wait until her parents forgot about the horse-ride.

Once she had exhausted her stories, Gainel fell into a thoughtful silence. She felt his voice inside her head, and knew her parents would also be able to hear what was said.

_Is there anything in particular that you're…..talented with? Something you enjoy?_ The Dream God asked. Mira looked at her father, then her mother. She loved to spend time in the woods, but that wasn't a talent. Hunting. She was good at hunting, but it wasn't something she enjoyed immensely, not like her father did. Slowly she shook her head, wondering where this was going. Gainel sighed.

_I thought so_ was all he said. He stood suddenly, not looking any of them in the eye. _My brother and sister sent me to bring Almira to them. They wait in the throne room. They believe that she has had enough time to choose a task to bind herself to,_ he finished. His words were met with her father's angry glare as Sarra wrapped a protective arm around Mira.

"They wouldn't--"

"She's just a child!"

"She's my--our daughter!"

Almira found herself speechless for the first time she could ever remember. Gainel gave them all sympathetic looks. _I'm sorry, _he said before vanishing, going back to court no doubt. Suddenly, Almira's surrounding shifted and she felt he stomach drop as the floor seemed to fall away. She collapsed into a ball as she shrieked in fear. In the next moment, her knees hit marble floor with surprising softness. She remained huddled on the ground for a few moments, shaking and trying to recover from her shock

"Almira Kainda Weirynsra, stand up." came a strict command. Almira knew that voice, and also knew that it would be unwise to disobey. Slowly, she raised her head. She was at court, in front of Mithros and the Goddess's gold and silver thrones. Shakily, she rose to her knees, then her feet. Both gods were in said thrones, watching her quietly. Standing a little to the right was Gainel, and to the left was Kidunka and the Black God. The rest were arranged in a circle, with them and Mira in the center.

_What did I do this time?_

**I'm sorry this took so long, but I've been busy lately. Hope you like it! Please R and R! Constructive criticism is mucho appreciated!**


	3. Rules and Regulations

Almira glanced about the courtyard anxiously. Ganel had said Mithros and the Mother told him to bring her. She hoped that really was the reason she was here. The first time she was brought here, it was to introduce her to all who resided in the Divine Realms, both gods and immortals. That memory was rather fuzzy considering how young she had been. Afterwards, she had been brought two times. Those two times were for…less that joyous reasons. One reason was entirely Kyprioth's fault, in Mira's opinion. He never fully explained how big the explosion was going to be. And she had only been a few months old at the time, so it was hardly her fault. The second reason could be the fault of a couple different beings. Almira claimed the dragons had overreacted and the dragons had said she was being insolent. In any case, she had formed a friendship with two of the younger ones, one of which wasn't even old enough to mind-speak. Mira was still in the process of planning a visit to see a full-grown dragon.

Neither of those times had she been brought to the courtyard so….abruptly.

Now, with such a large audience, Mira gulped. She head still spun slightly from her arrival. She could feel all eyes looking at her, staring at her. Slowly she turned back to the thrones and curtsied as best she could toward the two seated. Mithros nodded stiffly and the Mother smiled gently.

"Almira, we are pleas--" the Goddess began, but was suddenly interrupted by two loud bangs. Sarra and Weiryn appeared on either side of her, each with a less-than-happy look on their face. Sarra grabbed Mira's shoulders as if to shield her from the rest of the court. Weiryn folded his arms and glared at the two thrones.

"Explain." the god of Hunt commanded tersely. Mira stared at him in surprise, as did Mithros and the Goddess. Lesser gods did not speak to one, much less two, of the Great Gods like that. Mira felt a swell of pride.

"There is nothing to explain." stated Mithros, after he regained his composure. "We called Almira here to give her a chance to choose her task. Gainel explained this to you just before he returned."

"That was mere seconds before you called her!" Sarra exclaimed. Now everyone turned to stare at the Green Lady's unusual outburst. Sarra refused to be intimidated by them. "And why weren't _we_ allowed bring her. You simply forced her to come here with barely any warning." she finished before taking a deep breath. Almira continued to stare at this conflict with wide eyes. Her parents were either entirely brave…or completely insane. Mira wasn't quite sure which. The Mother gave Sarra a sympathetic look before answering.

"We couldn't wait any longer." the Goddess answered softly. "Ganel," she glanced at her tired looking brother, "took longer than we anticipated in bringing the news to you. However," she looked back at the three of them," we need to get down to business. Almira has been given three full mortal years to mature and find a suitable task. Have you done so, Almira?" she asked, directing the room's attention back to Mira.

"No, Great Mother." Almira answered quietly while stepping forward. "There is nothing that I'm particularly good at, or that I feel drawn to." Mithros and the Goddess each had an expression that gave the impression that they had all ready guessed this, and had only asked as a curtesy.

"In that case," Mithros began, "You can do one of two things. First, you may stay with your parents, in your father's lands, for all time. And with _no_ influence on the mortal world. Second, you may visit the mortal realms until you have chosen a task. Should you choose to stay with your parents, you will be confined to your father's lands and will not be allowed anywhere else in the Divine Realms. Should you choose the Mortal Realms, you will be given a human body. You will be sent to the forests of Galla, where your father rules, and will be given a weeks time, in mortal time, to leave there. Your parents," Mithros glanced at Wieryn and Sarra, "will not be allowed to interfere or aid you during your time there."

Almira was silent for a long moment. In her opinion, this was a lot to dump on her at the last minute. While she had never wished to visit the humans and their lower lifestyle, she knew she would never be able to stand being caged at her parents home. Without much thought, she decided.

"The Mortal Realms."

Mithros nodded stiffly, and the Great Mother smiled. She had known what Almira would choose, and a human life would help Mira to mature and take responsibility. However, there were a few things to still work out.

"How long will I be there?" Mira questioned. She hoped she wouldn't have to miss the sunbirds this evening.

"Until you find your task."

"So…I'll be back soon?"

"It all depends on you, Almira Kainda Weirynsra."

Almira nodded in acknowledgment. That shouldn't take too long.

"When do I leave?"

"As soon as we finish this discussion." was the rather impatient reply, but Mira ignored the feeling that the Great Gods were getting keen to finish. No matter how much trouble she had caused, they had never punished her. She was, technically, the baby of the group. Children were immensely rare in the Divine Realms, and as a result, she had been rather spoiled. That being so, she had never learned to really fear the Great Gods and their wrath. She was awed, of course, but never afraid. She had also gotten the habit of saying what she wanted, not what was appropriate, much to Sarra's horror. Apparently, Daine had never been to troublesome. Another thought occurred to Mira.

"Am I to go to my…sister?" she asked. While her mother had often told her of her older sister, Veralidaine, Mira had never really cared to see or meet her in the last three years. Mira just couldn't understand _why_ Daine had left the Divine Realms to live in the Mortal Realms. She could have been a goddess, a lesser goddess, but still. What did the Mortal Realms have that the Divine Realms didn't? Mira simply figured that her sister was touched in the head, or had been dropped as a baby. Almira was so busy considering this, that she almost didn't hear what Mithros said in reply.

"You may, but you are not required. It is, in a matter of speaking, your life; you may do as you wish. But take heed; you will bear the consequences of your actions, so be careful. Your kin will be notified of your arrival to the mortal realms, so you will most likely be expected."

"All right. Um…," how could Mira phrase this, "I'm not entirely sure where she's at."

All of the closest gods, her parents included, raised their eyebrows at her.

"Surely, you've been told the stories." the Goddess said.

"Well, yes, but I never really paid much attention to them. I know she's in some…country. But that's all I can recall. I paid more attention to _what_ heroes did, not _where_ they did it." she explained unabashedly. Why shoud she pay any attention at all to the Mortal Realms? With a few exceptions, it seemed like a dull place. Oh well, next question.

"Is…there anything that I'm expected to do while I'm there? And what…powers am I allowed to have?"

Mithros stared at her for a moment before answering.

"There are a few things we would like to see happen. Things that, we believe, would help…build character." he ansered solemnly.

"You should form friendships," the Great Mother began the list, "you…need to learn some humility, I believe."

Mira stared at her. _Humility?_ Mithros continued.

"Train in different fighting styles; learn the value of hard work and experience what pain feels like." he stated. "You will never be able to…empathize with humans without knowing what pain is like."

"Also," the Great Mother continued, "maybe fall in love? It is an experience all young ladies should have." she finished with a chuckle and a sideways glance at Mithros, who would have rolled his eyes, except he was a Great God. He was, or so he said, above such childish expressions.

"As for powers," Kidunka spoke for the first time, "you will not have anything out of the ordinary when you arrive. Some simple, basic gifts to keep yourself safe and , hopefully, out of trouble."

"There will be a reward system, Almira." Gainel finally spoke. "Every time you do one of the previously said tasks, you will receive a new…gift, or power."

From the looks of the other Great Gods, this had not been discussed before. Gainel must have just added that little rule_. It doesn't matter_, thought Mira. _This shouldn't take too long, so I'll be back in time to see the sunbirds._ The other Great Gods seemed to agree with Gainel, and continued the discussion.

"Weiryn. Sarra." the Goddess brought the attention back to her parents, who were standing there in stiff anger. There was nothing they could say against Mithros and the others, but they were not pleased with this arrangement. "I'm afraid that you will not be allowed to contact your daughter while she is there, unless we bring her here for some reason. You may see her when you would normally visit Veralidaine, but that is it. You may not help her during hard times."

_They act as if I'll be gone for months_, Mira thought amusedly. _All I have to do is find a task, make friends, find a cute guy, learn a few fighting moves, and I'll be back. How long could that take?_ she wondered as her parents stifle nodded, their glaring eyes staring at the floor, so as not to offend the Great Gods anymore than they all ready had.

"Well, if that is all--" Mithros began, but Mira never heard the rest of the sentence.

Once again, her surrounding seemed to melt away and her stomach dropped. She felt like she was being hurled across space while at the same time completely motionless. All-in-all, it was not her favorite way to travel. She had time for a single thought before her mind froze with fear.

_Thanks for the warning._


	4. Author's Note!

**This is just to notify my readers that this is a joint-fic with _Common Sense_ by _ShieiniRyoTenchiMeshiko_. For now there won't seem to be a connection between the two stories, but trust me, there will be soon. So to be able to keep up with my story, I suggest reading (and reviewing) Common Sense.**

**Also, I apologize for the long periods of time in between updates (advanced classes kinda kick you in the butt), so please be patient with me. Other than that, please review!**

**Muchas gracias!**

**contagiously funny**


	5. Rough Landing

Swoosh

_THUD_

"Umph!"

Almira gave a slight gasp as slammed into a hard surface. Dust rose all around her, both choking and blinding her. Once she finished coughing and her eyes stopped watering profusely, she tried to stand. _Ow._ She winced in pain as her legs and arms protested the movement. The force of the slam would leave large, long-lasting bruises. _It doesn't matter,_ she thought, _once I get home, the bruises will simply fade away_. With that thought she took in her surroundings.

It was a forest. Big surprise. She knew she was in a place called Galla, wherever that was. It was apparently near the end of winter, for there was half melted snow hanging from the trees and small spots of light green showed the beginnings of spring. It was a dense forest teeming with wildlife. Her eyes took in all of the birds, rodents, etc, hurriedly moving about after a long winter of sleep. There were so _many_ animals. In the Divine Realms, there were simply the few animal gods. Mira stared in wonder at all of their descendants. Noticing the snow, Mira began to shiver. She looked down at her clothes. Her normal attire in the Divine Realms had been replaced with more common clothing. Her soft, light wool skirt and skirt had been replaced by a heavy, dark brown dress. _At least it fits well enough_, Mira thought bitterly. Although it was heavy, it did not do well to keep her warm. Oh well, she thought for the second time that day.

Her head had begun throbbing that moment she hit the ground, and was now more than a little problem. There was a stream nearby. Good. Mira stiffly walked over to get a bold drink in hopes of clearing her head. It did, a little. Mira glanced at her reflection in the water. _Oh, gods…_

Gone were the reddish streaks in her skin. Now it was simply a light tan color, and currently covered in a light layer of dust and dirt. Her hair was still a thick, wavy brown; but somehow seemed duller. Freckles dotted her nose and cheeks. Her face….was human. It had lost it's…perfectness? Her eyes were still a blue-green, but not nearly as bright as before. She was shorter, and more clumsy. She was _human_. By human standards, she was rather pretty, despite the drab clothes and dirt. But by her standards, divine standards, she was hideous. She couldn't look at herself anymore. She quickly splashed cold water on her face, hands, arms, and neck in order to get rid of some of the dirt. The water was _really_ cold.

_Snap_.

Mira spun quickly, looking for the intruder. It was a squirrel. After a quick look, Mira saw that it was more than just _a_ squirrel. All of the surrounding animals, in fact, had finally noticed her arrival. Slowly, then quickly they gathered around her, all trying to talk at once.

_Where did you--?_

_How did you--_

_Are you hurt?_

_Why do you look sad?_

_Can I help?_

_Do you want some berries?_

_Play?_

Mira shook her head at all of them, trying to clear her head. She couldn't sort through all of those thoughts at once. She noticed right off, however, that these animals seemed to lack the intelligence of their deities. They all seemed like…children, in comparison. Hastily, she rose to her feet and tried to ignore them as she began to walk. She had to leave her father's lands as soon as possible.

The animals followed her.

She continued to ignore them as she formed a plan. This might take longer than a day or so. Maybe a few weeks? In that case, she would have to find her sister. If only she could remember where Veralidaine was at! Mira tried desperately to recall the name of the country. All she knew was that it sounded almost like an animal name. Turtle? Tortoise? No. She also knew that the majority of the stories she was told at home somehow involved this country.

Almira yawned. _Time for a nap_, she thought sleepily.

She lay down under a large tree, on top of some soft moss. She huddled to keep warm, and tried to shoo the animals away. Finally, they left. She lay her head down on her arm, and closed her eyes with a sigh.

"_Mira." a quiet voice called. Mira spun around to find the source of the familiar voice. A distance away, she saw the Dream God._

"_Gainel!" she shouted happily as she ran toward him. He would help her! As she ran up to him, she leapt at him to give him a hug. Surprised, he returned the hug before taking a step back to look at her. Suddenly remembering her appearance, Mira tried to hide her face. _

"_Mira, stop it." he said sternly. "Vanity does not become you. And this mortal body suits you. It is quite pretty if you take a good look at it. Anyway," he continued, "I came to apologize on behalf of my brother and sister. They sent you quite abruptly. Your mother gave them quite an earful." he stated with a chuckle._

"_Is that all?"_

"_No. Your father wanted me to tell you that although he can't help you directly, there is something he _can_ do. He says to keep your eyes open for an opportunity to help an animal in distress."_

"What good will that do me?" Mira demanded. That's all her father would do to help his daughter! How could he abandon her like that?

_Gainel sighed and shook his head patiently._

"_Perhaps my siblings were correct; you do need this ordeal in order to mature." he commented softly. Mira looked down, ashamed._

"_I'm sorry. It's just…overwhelming." she finished lamely. Gainel nodded his head in sympathy._

"_I know, I spend much time with humans and their struggles. Just listen to what your father said. I will visit you regularly, in your dreams, to help you in anyway I can." _

_Mira nodded her head in understanding. In all honesty, she was relieved. She wouldn't be completely on her own. _Thank the gods, _she thought humorously. Gainel raised an eyebrow at her before continuing._

"_Your mother says to find your older sister, Veralidaine. She is south of here, in Tortall. She is currently residing at the palace of King Jonathan. I'm on my way to notify her of your arrival." Gainel finished as he turned to leave. Suddenly, he added, "Try to not disregard the mortals as beneath you, Almira. You are mortal also, for now. Remember that." Suddenly he was gone._

Mira's eyes snapped open. Her whole body was sore, but surprisingly warm. She slowly sat up and looked for the reason why. The animals that had been following her, plus some more, had laid down next to her to keep her warm. Instantly, she forgot Gainel's last warning.

_I'm going to smell horrible!_ she thought, horrified.

**See? I told you she would have flaws. Mainly vanity, but there will be more. Keep in mind that her "I-am-better-than-you" attitude toward mortals is sort of justified, seeing as she was, until recently, immortal. Don't worry, she will be HUMBLED!**

**Please review! Thanx!**


	6. Friend or Foe?

Almira trudged through the thick trees, trying to come up with a plan. She had been wandering around for three days, and she still hadn't been able to leave her father's lands; she was still in Galla. This was more than just a little disconcerting, since she had never gotten lost before. She was the Hunter's Daughter, and as such she had always had an acute sense of direction. Until now.

Almira suspected that either her parents or Gainel was tampering with her sense of direction, in order for her find this so called "animal in distress" that Gainel had mentioned in his first visit.

Mira angrily kicked a stone. Gainel hadn't visited her since that first dream. In fact, she hadn't been offered a single bit of help since her arrival, except for the over-eager animals that wouldn't leave her alone. This whole ordeal was taking much longer than she expected. She as hungry, tired, and smelly. All she wanted now was to find her task, and _go home_.

She kicked another, larger stone in frustration that landed with a loud _crack!_ Te sound was followed by another sound. A soft, yet panicked rustling. Curiously, Mira searched for the source of the noise; following the sound toward a cluster of bushes. She got down and crawled through the some of the bushes to conceal herself; she peeked through the few branches in her way and saw the source of the noise.

It was a stag.

_A rather young stag_, she noticed. It was smaller than most of the stags she knew at home, but it still had its antlers. They were new, and sharp looking. Mira slowly turned to leave the animal before it noticed her. It always took hours to get any animal to leave her alone once they saw her. Then she saw the metal claw. It was a trap intended for large game; and it was clamped down on the young deer's back-right leg, where a steady flow of blood could be seen. Taking a deep breath, Mira turned back toward the animal. Cautiously, she stepped out of the bushes.

The stag's eyes rose to meet her own with an unusual defiance. As Almira walked toward him to undo the trap, he suddenly rammed his antlers at her and almost impaled her. That would have been a quick end to her ordeal. Mira screeched and stumbled backward, tripping over an overgrown root, causing her to land in a pile of mud. Angrily, she got back up and glared at the deer.

"Fine, be that way!" she snapped loudly as she turned to leave. Forget her father's advice, this wasn't worth her time. While turning, she caught sight of the bloody leg, and felt a knot form in her stomach, along with some strange new emotion.

Pity. Sympathy. For some reason, she couldn't leave this animal to its dark fate. Once again, she walked toward; this time with determination. She glared at the stag as they made eye contact.

"If you try that again, I'll add trap to your other legs." she threatened. The stag didn't answer. Mira wondered if it was dumb, but one look at his eyes told her that he was definitely intelligent. And stubborn. He continued to glare at her as she inched closer, but did not attempt to impale her again. His gaze never left her as she quickly darted forward to undo the trap. Once it was gone, he tried to limp away from her, but only managed to stumble a few paces before falling.

Mira sighed in frustration as she walked toward him. "If you would just give me a moment, I can heal that." _I think_ she added silently. While she had been instructed in how to heal all types of creatures, she had never actually healed one. This could go very wrong. Carefully, she placed her hands just above the wound, trying to not get any blood on her hands. Carefully, she concentrated; picturing the muscles mending, and the skin healing together.

Nothing happened. The wound continued to bleed. Almira frowned in frustration, not understanding what was happening. She was the daughter of the Green Lady and Weiryn, and she could heal a stupid _leg wound_. She tried again. Nothing. The stag stared at her with an unreadable expression, not moving an inch. For some reason that was unknown to her, her eyes began to water.

_Gainel!_ she though desperately, hoping for an answer. Almost instantly, her vision clouded over with a strange mist. Then, out of nowhere, the Dream God was standing next to her.

"_What is it, Mira?"_

"_There's…an animal. He's hurt, and_ I can't help him!_ Why!" she asked, trying to keep the panic from her voice. Gainel suddenly disappeared. Mira blinked. What the--_

_The next second, he was back. But his time his hands were glowing. One was glowing a blue-green color, and the other was a rusty red. _

"_Mira, you have to choose quickly. My brother and sister have decided to give you one of your gifts now, seeing as you have shown compassion for another being without there being anything in it for you. Now, you may either have the ability to heal humans or animals. One gift will save your friend, the other can be used to heal yourself if the need should arise." he stated solemnly. Mira stared at his hands. Logically, the correct choice would be to be able to heal herself. Her safety was much more important that some dirty animals!_

"_He's not my friend." she stated mater-of-factly._

_She remembered those eyes. The defiant glare, yet also the unnatural trust and desperate hope that seemed to show in his face. Without another thought, she chose._

"_I want to…heal him. Save him" she answered quietly. Suddenly, the blue-green light enveloped her, making her feel more whole. Mira smiled for the first time in days. Gainel returned the smile before speaking._

"_Well done, Mira. You've made all of us proud. Now go help you friend." and with that, the mist started to fade._

"_He's not my--"_

Mira's eyes snapped open.

"--friend?"

The stag raised its head to look at her. His eyes looked a little tired, yet at the same time, more awake. Mira looked down at the wound. It was gone. Dry blood covered the leg and her arms, but the bleeding had stopped.

Quite suddenly, as if there had never been a wound, the stag leapt to his feet, and raced toward the trees. Mira found herself alone again, and for some reason, disappointed. She told her self she was glad the deer was gone. He would have just been a nuisance anyway.

Mira's head shot up when she heard another rustling sound. Hope welled inside her as she got up and raced toward the sound. Her deer had not abandoned her after all. She ran past some trees and into another clearing. Her whole body froze, causing her to trip over her own feet. Horror spread through her mind; making her want to scream, yet rendering her unable to.

Spidren. A large female spidren.

Mira had need a few of them in the Divine Realms. Somehow, her human body reacted differently to them than before. Before, they had been rather fascinating; but now they were horrid to look at.

The spider-woman sneered at her. Her teeth gleamed a bright white.

"My dear," she said softly, making Mira flinch, "so nice of you to join me for lunch." The monster made its way toward Mira. Panic rose in the girl's chest as she suddenly found her feet. Quick as possible, she shot up and back into the woods, hoping to loose that nightmare on legs. Blindly, she raced through the forest, dodging trees as she went.

A pain stabbed her in the chest. She halted thinking she had been wounded. No blood. She ran a few more feet, and the pain stabbed her again. Mira all of a sudden remembered that human bodies often got tired easily. She heard someone--something, pursuing her.

For a moment, Mira froze…and then totally lost it.

"STUPID MORTAL BODY!" she shrieked, stomping her feet with rage. "GOOD FOR NOTHING LEGS!"

The monster was getting closer, hearing her shouts.

_I should have choose to be able to heal myself_ she thought as her body began to freeze up again. She could see the spidren now. Eight long legs rushed at her, intent on killing. Mira closed her eyes, waiting for the crushing blow.

_Wham!_

Shriek!

Huh?

Almira opened her eyes, confused. She hadn't felt a thing. She had heard it though. Why was the monster on the ground? Something tapped her from behind. She spun around

The stag.

Relief flooded through her veins. She reached a hand out to touch the deer's head.

"Rrrrgh." came a muffled cry. The spidren was slowly getting up. Mira looked back in horror, then back at the stag. He stared back at her, apparently trying to decide on something.

Without a sound, he knelt down a little. She gave him a confused look.

_Climb up._

He didn't have to tell her twice. Swiftly, she swung up, sitting like he was a horse. The next second, he took off through the forest, leaving he injured spidren far behind. He didn't stop running. Mira couldn't believe the feeling. He had rode horses, but they were clumsy oafs compared to the swift, graceful deer.

_Where are we running to?_ she asked.

_I don't know. I thought you might have a place in mind._

Mira though for a moment.

_Tortall. Head for Tortal._ she answered, her sense of direction suddenly returning. After a long pause she spoke again.

_My name is Almira. Mira._

Another pause.

_Caden_.

**Ok, I hope you like this chapter. I'm planning on Mira meeting Daine and Co. in the next chapter, so bear with me! Anyway, please r and r!**

**Side note: Caden means "fighter"**


	7. Sneaking In

**I'm sooooooooo sorry this took so long to write (advanced classes are keeping me busy --') Anyway, I hope this is worth the wait! Please R&R!!! Gracias! I hope to write more quickly in the future!!**

_King Jonathan frowned from his seat as he looked at the young woman before him. Veralidaine, known to most as Daine; known to everyone as the Wildmage, had just given him some rather interesting news. He had yet to figure out if it was good or bad. He took a deep breath._

"_So, you're telling me that a Great God came to you in a vision-" he began._

"_Dream, sir. It was Gainel." interrupted the Wildmage politely._

"_Right, a dream. And he, Gainel, told you that you're sister is coming for a visit?" he asked incredulously. _

"_Yes, sir. She should be arriving any day now…actually, she should have been here all ready," Daine commented, "but Gainel said that she might be held up for a little while."_

"_Yes, so…Is there any….particular reason why she wishes to visit? Or is this simply a family visit?" the king asked, his voice revealing some of the hidden anxiety. Hosting a goddess, even if it was Daine's sister, would be challenging, if not impossible. _

"_From what The Dream God said, I believe that she did not choose to come. Mithros and the Great Mother ordered her here, but I forget what the reason is." she finished. Jonathan fidgeted in his seat and sighed._

"_What will she require during her visit?" he asked, trying to ignore the idea of the Great God's being displeased with him. Why else would they order her here? "I can giver her the best rooms in the palace, but it will require some rearranging of the nobles at court." he stated tiredly. Daine shook her head softly._

"_No, majesty, that can't be done." she claimed as he raised his eyebrows at her. Quickly, she explained, "There are rules to her stay here. She is to be treated as you would treat any other mortal, for that is what she is, for now. She must be trained in some fighting art, and she must socialize." she recited, "She must find a connection to mortals._

"_And," continued Jon, "she is three years old?"_

"_Yes."_

"_But will appear to be ten?"_

"_More like thirteen or twelve, your majesty." the Wildmage answered. "Children grow faster in the Divine Realms."_

_The kind sighed once again. "So...she will be arriving when?"_

_Are you not done yet?_ came an impatient voice in Almira's head. She sighed loudly, making sure that Caden could hear it. She had only been at the top of the tree for a few minutes. It was a great oak tree, and had taken her human form a little while to climb. She bitterly remembered how quickly her immortal form could have climbed it. At least her human body didn't seem to have a fear of heights. In any case, she had reached the top in hopes of seeing Tortall's capitol from up high. Corus wasn't nearly as impressive as she had thought it would be, considering all of the stories that she had heard from Gainel. She sighed once again, more softly this time, as the tree swayed slightly in the breeze. This was to be her home, for the moment. She had expected to arrive and leave within days, but she had begun to see that it would take a little longer than that.

Swiftly, she climbed back down, freefalling that last half of the climb. She landed on her feet, but fell to her knees as pain shot up her legs. With a whimper, she hugged her knees to her chest, trying to stop the hammering in her legs. She had forgotten how unmerciful gravity could be in the mortal realms.

_That's what you get for showing off_ said Caden, in that sensitive way of his. Mira's eyes shot up to glare at him. Over the last few days, the two of them had tolerated each other. For reasons unknown to Mira, Caden had stayed with her the whole trip _and_ she had allowed him to accompany her. This was rather surprising considering they could barely stand each other at most times. It was as if an invisible bond had been formed from saving each other, and neither could break that bond. Mira was, in any case, glad for the faster pace that hey traveled at and the speed at which they arrived. Now it was time to go to Corus.

Mira stood up and brushed the dirt off her knees. "Let's go then." she answered stiffly, ignoring his rebuke. The young girl turned smartly toward the city and began walking. It took a few seconds to realize that she didn't hear any footsteps following. Irritated, she looked back to see what was taking Caden so long.

"Well? Are you coming or not?"

The young stag was standing in the same spot, staring back at her with an unreadable expression. Mira frowned, trying to figure out what was wrong. Suddenly, an answer came to her. Maybe he wasn't coming. Maybe he had only meant to take her to the city, to other humans, and then leave. _He must have a life to live, back where I found_ him thought Almira. _I should have known he would leave soon. Deer don't belong at a palace._ Mira felt her throat constrict, making it hard to breathe. Her eyes tingled, then burned; but she refused to cry. He was a silly deer, and if he wanted to leave, then he could go right ahead. Anyway, she would look ridiculous if she walked into court with a stag. _I can find a horse, somewhere_ she tried to console herself. _I don't even like being around this stag. I'm glad he'll be gone soon._

_Are you sure you want to go looking like that?_ Caden's voice sounded in her head. _I don't know much about two-leggers, but they always put on bright fur when going into the Big Rock."_

Mira blinked. What did he just say? Big Rock? She turned to look at the city, where the palace towers made a jagged line across the horizon. The palace. The "bright fur" must be the clothes nobles always wore. Mira looked down at her dress. It had become ragged and tattered over the weeks of wandering and traveling. Her arms and legs were covered in a thick layer of dirt and mud. Her face probably looked rather similar, she assumed. The girl raised her hand to run her fingers through her hair. Twigs, mud, and leaves. Great. Not only did she look human, but she was a _dirty_ human. Even the commoners and servants at the palace would be better dressed than her.

The sun was getting low.

The thought of spending another night outside made her shudder. The weather was getting colder, even if the snow hadn't reached Tortall yet. As much as she hated her appearance, she wanted to sleep in a _bed_, with a fire nearby; and a decent meal that was cooked for her. With that, she decided that there wasn't enough time to bathe and find new clothes.

She would have to sneak in.

Mira looked Caden dead in the eyes. "I'll just have to go like this." she declared. Almira then turned, again, and walked toward the city, trying to see a hidden way in.

_There's a place for you to sneak in_ said Caden quietly. _Follow me._

Mira was about to object to the command, when realization hit her. He was coming with her, not leaving. Relief flooded her veins, and she gave a small sigh of relief, before confusion took over. Why did it matter? Why did she care if he came? The same reason she had helped him; the same reason he had saved her. They were, despite everything, friends. She wasn't sure if this was a good thing. Caden glanced back at her, wondering what was taking her so long. Before she could give an excuse, he walked over to her.

_Climb up_ he commanded. Without a word, Mira swung up onto his back, slumping tiredly.

"Thank you."

Caden glanced back in surprise at her gratitude before continuing. _You're so slow_ he said, _I got tired of waiting for you to catch up_. Mira rolled her eyes. Being friends didn't mean they had to be nice to eachother.

_Snap!_

Mira jerked upright; the snap brought her back to full awareness. Something was following them. It was so loud, she wondered how she didn't notice it before. Now that she knew it was there, she could hear every step it took. With a sick feeling in her stomach, she realized that it had more than four-legs. In fact, it had eight. _Caden_ she thought at the stag.

_I know_ he answered. _Don't let on that we know it's there._

_Crunch_

_Crunch_

_Crunch_

_Crunch_

_Crunch_

_Crunch_

Mira shuddered involuntarily, wanting to flee. _We're getting close_, Caden said in her mind. _On the count of five, hold on as tight as you can. I'm going to run for it._ Mira slowly nodded her head.

One

Two

Three

Four

FIVE!

Mira had just enough time to grab the deer's shoulders before she was almost thrown off. He was fast. Really fast. She tried to hold onto his shoulders, but her hands kept slipping. He wasn't like a horse. She knew stags were more graceful, but she forgot how they ran in a zigzagged path. This made it increasingly difficult to hold on. She didn't want to wrap her arms around his neck, for she might choke him. _Deer weren't meant to be rode_, she thought to herself. As she slipped sideways, she gripped with her knees, and was able to pull herself back up. Once she was back up, she continued to grip with her knees, amazed at how much easier it was to stay on. Slowly, she lifted her left hand into the air. Still on. Then, even slower, she lifted her other hand into the air, so she was only holding on by her legs. She still didn't fall. She raised both arms high into the air, feeling a rush of adrenaline at the speed and danger. A screech behind them made her remember the other danger. Mira felt Caden's pace qucken. The girl turned to see their pursuer.

It was the same spidren from Galla. _They must hold grudges_, Mira thought fearfully and giddily. The monster's eyes met her, and gave a piercing shriek and sped up.

It was gaining on them, when an arrow grazed Mira's arm. She turned to look at the beast. The stupid thing had a bow and arrow, and knew how to use them! Another came at her face, but Mira jerked her head at the last moment, screeming. Just as she screamed, Caden burst into full speed, and hundreds of surrounding animals cried out. Every bird took to the air, every rodent scampered away shrieking, every canine howled, every feline snarled; all ran.

Suddenly, both stag and girl burst out in the city street, surrounded by humans. Caden didn't even slow down, fear making him continue. The spidren had stopped just before reaching the city, knowing a suicidal act when it saw one. Disgruntled, it turned back. It would wait.

Still Caden ran on, dodging people and other animals. They were now in the inner city. Now at the palace gates. Mira could se the guards holding up their hands for them to stop and pulling out weapons when it became apparent that they wouldn't. As the archers raised their bows, she pointed and cried out; large birds flew up and ripped to weapons from their hands as the small birds flew at the archers' faces. Horses tossed their owners and dogs bit their masters. Cats dug their claws into their owners, most noble women. The path was clear as Caden raced onto palace grounds; to the palace itself.

_Stop, Caden_! Mira mentally yelled. _They'll kill us if you don't!_ All of a sudden, she slammed forward as the stag came to an abrupt halt. Shaking, Mira sat back up to look around. They were in a large courtyard…in front of the palace. _This must be the main courtyard_, Almira considered before dozens of men-at-arms surrounded them with raised weapons. Mira noticed that most of them had either scratch or bite marks.

Despite the weapons, most of them seemed reluctant to get near her. _I must look like a crazed demon_, she thought miserably. More people began appearing. A short red-haired woman with an upraised sword; an enormous knight with an equally enormous looking weapon--a glaive; a made with blue magic came forward, wearing a crown; another mage with black magic appeared, forming a thin bubble around her and Caden. Next to him, a young woman appeared. She had thick brown hair and blue-grey eyes. Mira stared at the lady, who had a nose and stubborn chin that matched hers.

_Veralidaine._

Mira suddenly felt exhaustion take over as she slumped over Caden. Slowly, he lowered her to the ground and let her slide down. She had to use him to stand up. So much for sneaking in.

Once again she looked at the brown-haired woman, who was looking back at her with a mixture of shock and slight recognition.

_Sister._


	8. Chaotic Night

Daine Sarrasri, or as more were calling her, Daine Salmalin was gently putting her daughter, Sarra to bed. After a story and song, she had gone right to sleep. Now, the Wildmage was softly humming to herself as she laid down on her own bed, ready for a good night's sleep; she could hear Numair snoring softly beside her. The open window revealed the familiar sounds of night. The moon had just risen in the sky and was shining in through the window. Daine felt her eye lids close and her mind began to slip off--

A scream ripped through the air, echoing throughout the palace and surrounding city.

Daine jerked out of bed and felt Numair jump beside her with a curse. Sarra started crying, at the top of her lungs, from her bed. Both parents were out of bed in a flash, clumsily pulling on shoes and coats. Daine went to comfort Sarra, but Kit had already gotten there. The little dragon had somehow hummed the baby to sleep in merely a few seconds.

Another scream, but much closer this time. It was high-pitched, and young sounding.

"Kit, watch her!" yelled Daine as she and Numair stumbled out of their room, and into the hallway. Chaos had ensued. Servants were running about, either scared or busy assisting nobles that were scared. Numair quickened his pace and Daine had to run to keep up as they rushed to get outside. Along the way, another door opened to show a ruffled looking red-head. Alanna's hair was a mess, and she wore breeches with a nightshirt and boots. Her sword was already in her hand; close behind her was George, looking worried yet calm.

"What in the Trickster's name is happening?" he half demanded, half asked. Both mages simply shook their heads; how should they know? The lady knight pushed her way past them, headed for the throne room. The other three knew the reason for her abruptness. She had to protect the royal family.

By the time they got there, Daine could here the guards outside, shouting orders. Daine tried to get the palace animals to either help or get to safety, but they were all panicking and, for some reason, not listening to her.

The rest of the palace was rapidly filtering into the throne room. Alanna was already there, standing next to King Jonathan and Queen Thayet, with her sword ready. Comgin to join them was the new lady knight, Keladry. Kel had, instead of a sword, her famous glaive. Daine noticed that Jump and the sparrows were not with her, and became even more anxious.

What could be causing this?

Suddenly, the guards outside were shrieking, as were the archers. And then, the everyone inside was screaming. Daine was shocked to see the noblewomen throwing their cats from them, trying to escape their claws; and hunters and noblemen kicking away their now savage dogs. Birds flew rapidly around the ceiling. Horses could be heard, and many were either kicking down their stalls, or throwing their riders.

And it all stopped. The silence sounded even more hushed from the previous chaos.

Slowly, everyone looked around, shaking. What kind of demon could have caused that? And where was it now? The first to recover, King Jonathan straightened his shoulders and walked toward the doors. Daine as almost amused to notice that he had thought to put his crown on during the…attack. Thayet would have followed, but Jonathan waved her back; for once, she obeyed his orders without protest. Alanna rushed to catch up and walk at his right. Kel suddenly appeared on his left. Raoul went about trying to maintain some order in the room as he sent out most of his soldiers to follow the king. The majority of the men-at-arms, soldiers, knights, and guards had gone out to see, and most likely kill, whatever it was that caused this.

Numair was making his way to the door. Daine rushed to catch up with him for the second time that night. He turned, as if to stop her, but stopped when he was her set expression. She could be quite stubborn when she wanted to. It was then that Daine thought to check the animals. However, when she tried to talk to them, she couldn't get anything sensible out of them. Their minds were jumbled with excitement.

_Here!_

_Finally!_

_She's here!_

_Must see her._

_Hurry!_

_She's scared._

_Must help her!_

_Hurry!_

_She's here._

Daine finally closed her mind from them. They weren't talking sense. At least she now she knew that whatever it was, was female.

As they reached the outside, Numair immediately put a shield around the two beings in the center of the courtyard. For who's protection, Daine couldn't tell. It seemed as if everyone was going to try and kill it…them. Weapons were raised, all pointing at the two beings. Slowly, Numair made his way to the black bubble he had formed. Once they were close enough, Daine could make out the two figures a little better. One was definitely an animal, and the other appeared to be human. Jon stepped closer, in order to see the cause of this disaster up close. As he moved, so did Alanna and Kel; both with weapons ready. The bubble cleared a little, and Daine could make out the human's features.

It was a young girl, sitting on a stag. She had on a ripped brown dress and no shoes. Her hair was a dark brown, wild, ad laced with leaves. Her eyes blazed as she stared about her. She looked like a wood nymph. She radiated a feeling of something wild and untamed. The wildmage then thought maybe she was a messenger of the gods. Or maybe even a goddess herself. The girl slowly slipped to the ground, with the help of her deer-friend.

Suddenly the girl's eyes shifted to meet hers. She saw defiance, anger….and fear. It was then that Veralidaine noticed the girl's familiar features. She had a nose and chin that matched Daine's own. The thick wavy hair.

Realization struck.

_Almira_.

The girl slumped forward, now looking ragged and exhausted instead of ethereal and frightening. She leaned against the stag, trying to keep standing. Daine saw her shiver, and raise her head again, to meet her eyes. The surround archers raised their bows at the girl's small movement.

_Sister_.

**Ok, to make up for the previous wait, I wrote this chapter as soon as possible. It's a bit shorter, but oh well. I hope you like. There wasn't too much dialogue in this chapter, cause I wanted to focus more on actions and thoughts. And (I know, I always ask this) please R&R!!! Thanx a bunch!**


	9. Waking Up

"_Hold!" yelled the Wildmage at the archers and men-at-arms and archers. With a commanding glance at Numair, she approached the force-field he had created. Carefully, she placed a hand on the large, black bubble. The young girl inside also approached the edge of the force-field, until they were eye-to-eye._

"_Let me in." Daine commanded at Numair without taking her eyes off the girl...her sister. She heard the mage protest behind her. Finally, she turned to look at him._

"_Please."_

"_You know her?" was the concerned question._

"_In a manner of speaking." came the calm reply._

_The bubble slowly faded at the spot where Daine was, but stayed strong everywhere else. The wildmage quickly stepped through. Daine slowly looked for her sister, and found that the girl had retreated back to where the deer stood. She looked the girl over before slowly approaching._

_The girl, Almira, was obviously exhausted and had to use the stag's support to stand. Her clothes were tattered and torn. Her hair was a tangled mess; her arms and legs were scratched up. Almira's eyes, however, remained proud and stubborn._

_They regarded each other for a moment. Daine slowly, yet determinedly, stepped toward Almira. She had just reached her, when the younger girl's eyes fluttered close and she fell forward, fainting. The wildmage reached out to catch her at the last second._

Mira woke up, blinking at the bright light coming through the window. Why hadn't her mother woken her up? She was rarely allowed to sleep in so late, nor did Mira ever want to sleep in so late.

Rough cotton brushed against her skin.

Mira suddenly remembered. Mortal Realms. Caden. Spidren. Tortal…her sister. Mira rolled out of the bed and stood up in front of a mirror. Her hair was still a mess, and she still smelled like an animal. However, someone had cleaned her cuts, and stitched the more serious ones. They had also given her an oversized nightgown, which was soft despite the inferior fabric.

Frowning, Mira looked at the center of the room. She snapped her fingers while staring at the bare space. Nothing happened. Her frown deepened as she snapped her fingers twice more and nothing happened.

"Bath." she commanded. Still nothing.

"I wish for a bath." she stated more firmly. Nope, that didn't work either.

"I DEMAND a BATH!" she practically shouted. A shrieking filled the air, startling the young girl. Looking around wildly, she couldn't find the source of the sound. She slowly crept toward the closest door, and carefully pushed it open. There was a small crib, like the one Mira used to have when she was a baby. A baby. _This must be Veralidaine's little girl_ Mira thought. She had heard that she had a niece, but never really considered the fact before. Mira wonderingly approached the squalling little creature. She had never seen a baby before, for there were very few in the Divine Realms. She peeked in the crib.

The pink little baby girl surprised her. Most animal babies resembled it's parents, but this one looked different. She had a big head and small arms and legs. The baby stopped crying for a few minutes once she saw Mira. Giving a small gurgle, she reached for the confused Almira. Without thinking, Mira reached in to pick the little girl up. She lifted her in the air, so they were eye level. Sarra and Mira regarded each other for a moment, before Sarra gave a happy gurgle. Mira smiled for the first time in a while.

The door opened suddenly.

"What--! Oh…you're awake." came a startled voice. Mira's head shot up toward the sound of the intruder's voice. _Veralidaine. Duh._ she thought. She self-consciously put the baby back into the crib, before turning toward her sister.

"She started crying." was all she could think to say.

"I heard. I'm sorry if she woke you."

"She didn't. I believe I may have woke her."

"Well…I'm glad you're up. I see you're already met your niece."

Mira nodded absently, looking around the room. Just then, the door swung open again. The large mage with the black gift from before walked in.

"Daine, I can't find my--oh! You're…awake." he said surprised. Mira felt a frown form on her face. Her sister had left the Divine Realms for _him_. He looked…silly. Too tall, too lanky. Powerful, for a mortal. He smiled uncomfortably as he noticed her frown.

"I'm Numair, you're…brother-in-law." he finished lamely.

"Alimira Kainda Weiynsra." Mira recited. "Most call me Mira."

Daine gave a small smile. "Call me Daine. Veralidaine is too formal. The last human to call me that was an emperor, and that friendship ended rather…"

"Bitterly?" Mira offered. She knew the story. "And I'm not human." she added rather snidely. She wouldn't stand to be compared to a mere mortal, emperor or not.

Daine and Numair exchanged glances, but didn't reply. After an brief, awkward silence, Numair spoke up.

"Their majesties have decided to continue with the planned feast, in honor of Prince Liam's birthday." he said to Daine, who sighed tiredly. More feasting meant less sleep, which was difficult to come by as it was with a baby in the room. However, Numair wasn't finished.

"There also requested that our…guest be presented at the same time, if she is able. They wish to put the nobles' minds at ease, seeing as almost half of them with to throw her out of the palace." he finished, slightly amused.

"But the feast is in two nights!" exclaimed Daine. "We have to get her clothes, and instruct her in court manners, and--"

"I already know how to behave in a court." snapped Mira, quickly losing patience. She didn't like being talked of as if she wasn't in the room. And did they think there were no court rules in the Divine Realms?

Again, the two adults exchanged glances. A thought struck Almira like a hammer.

"Where's Caden?" she asked, suddenly alarmed. He had been safe last time she saw him. Before she fainted. But something could have easily happened to him between then and now.

"Caden?" Numair asked.

"The stag." Daine and Mira answered at the same time.

"He told me to tell you that he will wait in the nearby wood, until you are well enough to visit him. He was very worried when you fainted, and it took me forever to calm him." Daine explained half-amused, half-disturbed. The Wildmage wasn't used to animals not listening to her. "After a while, he _allowed_ me to take you inside to recover--" she didn't get to finish he sentence before Mira had raced out the door… in a nightgown and without shoes.

The goddess-to-be raced down hallways, stairs, and out doors without thinking; guided by some unknown source. She had just reached the palace grounds when she saw the young stag burst forth from the forest, straight toward her; relief radiating from him. She laughed as she ran up and swung up on his back with little effort.

_You took long enough._


	10. Stablehand

_Daine paced the room, trying to sort her thoughts out. Although she had slept the whole night, she woke feeling exhausted. Gainel had visited her again…with more instructions for Almira's "lesson". On top of that, Daine also had to find a way for the court to accept the girl, or there would be serious problems. The previous night had been chaotic, and most of the palace residents were not listening to reason. With a sigh, Daine got dressed. She then proceeded to ride Cloud to the city, to find a seamstress. Most of them were friendly enough, until they realized whom their customer would be. No one wanted to go near the "creature" that had caused so much turmoil, even if it was only a little girl. _

_After what felt like hours, Daine was struck with an idea. Kel. Or rather, Kel's former-maid. Although Lalassa had been rather timid in the past, she was now a self-assured no-nonsense seamstress. _

_Lalassa paled a little when Daine explained her situation, but in the end she agreed to make Mira's dress for the prince's birthday that was the next day._

"OUCH!"

"Oh really, I hardly pricked you. And that wouldn't happen if you would stop moving."

Mira glared at the older girl. Lalassa had arrived and gotten down to business in a few short minutes. Mira had been just getting out of bed. The measurements had been taken, and the cloth picked out beforehand. The past hour had been Mira standing while Lalassa made adjustments. And standing still for an hour was beyond Mira's abilities. She twitched and shifted constantly while Lalassa constantly reprimanded her for it. Finally, Lalassa gave a string a final tug and said the dress would be finished in time for the party the next day.

With that, Mira bolted toward the door without as much as a thank-you. Unfortunately, a large figure blocked her way. Once again Mira scowled; this time it was at her brother-in-law. He never stopped pestering her about her home, and it was getting on her nerves.

"Almira, there you are." the tall mage began. But this time he didn't have questions, but orders. "Daine has found a job for you." He announced happily. Mira stared at him.

"A what?"

"A job. It's a form a work--"

"I know what a job is. What does that have to do with me?" She demanded. Numair didn't seem to notice her dissatisfaction, for he simply continued.

"Daine was told you're to have a job. After the other night's disturbance, it's been rather difficult to find a place willing to have you. However, there is one, and it seems rather appropriate considering you're connection to animals."

Mira sighed, waiting for him to get to the point. In the end, it didn't matter what the job was. She would ensure that the place didn't want her back the next day. She raised and eyebrow, waiting for the mage to finish babbling.

"Stables." He announced. "Stefan said he'd be willing to let you work there, as a thank-you for all of the horses Daine has healed. You will assist one of the stable hands he chooses." He smiled at the young girl as if she should be happy. The girl shrugged, knowing the job wouldn't last.

"Fine." Was her indifferent reply. "When and where."

"The stables in an hour." Numair answered as he turned to go. Suddenly, he spun back around. "Oh, I almost forgot to ask. When an immortal eats—"

Mira groaned and put her head in her hands. The questions never stopped.

_Stefan felt sorry for the young hostler. Stefan had to put the girl with someone that wouldn't get frightened around some rumored half-goddess. Or half-demon, depending on the person telling the rumor. The person couldn't be the type that let other walk over him or her. Unfortunately for Aden, he was the only worker Stefan thought capable for the job. The young man looked rather unhappy at the notion._

"_But Stefan, I prefer to work alone. She'll get in the way of my work—"_

"_It's yer job to make sure she doan't get in th'way. Daine sez she's t' become a good worker, and learn the meaning of 'hard work'."_

_Aden opened his mouth to protest, but the head hostler held up his hand. "I know. It ain fair. But it got's t'be done. Hopefully, she'll be gone soon. Yer the only one that kin do this." With that, Stefan left stable and headed to the latrine._

_Aden stood slowly and shook his head. He didn't like this. Not at all. While he wasn't afraid of the girl, he didn't like to be around new people. He preferred horses. The last thing he wanted to do was work with some spoiled whiny girl-to-be-a-goddess. Well, she would work; he'd see to that. No matter what she tried to pull, he'd make sure she would work. And eventually, she'd wimp out and leave him to his work. With t hat, he started to clean out the stalls._

Mira had finally got rid of Numair, and put on some work clothes. She knew her mother would throw a fit if she saw Mira wearing breaches; so she enjoyed wearing them. She then headed out of the palace, most people mistaking her for a servant.

The moment she got outside, she was bombarded with dozens of animals, all of them trying to get her attention. She shooed them away with a thought. After seeing the head hostler, she headed toward the stables to find the person she was to work with. Caden rushed toward her as she neared the forest.

_Where have you been?_

"Getting fitted for a dress." She answered with a face. Caden made a sound that seemed like a scoff.

_You mean those clothes that make humans look silly?_

"Yes. And they go through a ridiculous amount of trouble to look silly." She replied with a toss of her hair. The day had started bad, and she was not in a good mood.

_You want to go for a ride?_ Caden looked hopeful. Things were more interesting with the girl around, and she was more fun to talk to…or argue with.

Mira shook her head tiredly. She told him of her new "job" in the stables. If she didn't hurry, she'd be late. With that, she continued toward the part of the stables she was assigned to help with.

When she got there, she could hear someone in one of the stalls. Mira looked in each stall until she got to the last one. She stuck her head in and saw a young man cleaning the stall. This apparently was the last one he had to clean. Mira could see he had tanned skin and dark brown hair that reached the middle of his ears. Mira gave an annoyed cough as she stood with her hands on her hips. He turned so suddenly, she jumped back a little. He also had dark brown eyes that matched his hair. Mira was surprised to see he had a handsome face. She frowned at that thought, and shook it off. He had an unreadable look on his face as he stared at her. She glared back in return.

"It's rude to stare." She snapped.

"The rules of rich people rarely apply to me." He answered.

Mira frowned again. This time at his speech. He was obviously a commoner, with the calloused hands and dirty clothes. Where did he learn to speak like that? He was not only learned, but intelligent. Or so he seemed. Finally, he said something.

"You Mira?" he asked. Mira stiffened at his use of her name.

"It's Almira." She said stubbornly. "I suppose you're Aden?" Mira asked with a touch of condescension. She smiled as she saw him stiffen. Without a word, he tossed something at her.

"Put new hay into the stalls, _stablehand_. If you do it wrong, you'll have to do it again." was all he said to her after that.

**Ok ok, I know. This took forever to write. Lo siento. I had to kinda rush through this chapter, but it'll get better. Anyway, please R AND R peoples. Thanx a bunch!**


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